Members Information

WssTP is the European Technology Platform for Water. Initiated by the European Commission in 2004, WssTP strives to promote coordination and collaboration of Research and Innovation in the European water sector, improving same time its competitiveness. WssTP consists of 202 members and a network of more than 700 individuals from Industry, research, technology providers, policy makers and water users. WssTP represents a key mechanism to further coordinate research, demonstration and pilot projects in the water sector.

“As a member, your organization will gain recognition as a key player in the progressing the competitiveness of the European water sector”

The European Technology Platforms (ETPs)are industry-led stakeholder platforms, funded by both private and public sources, that develop short to long-term research and innovation agendas and roadmaps for action at European and national level.
Initially established in 2003, the ETPs are considered in the framework of Horizon 2020 as a key element in the European innovation ecosystem that will help turn Europe into an Innovation Union.
On the basis of the strategies for Europe 2020 and for an Innovation Union, the Commission’s Horizon 2020 proposal for an integrated research and innovation framework programme recognises the role of European Technology Platforms (ETPs) as part of the external advice and societal engagement needed to implement Horizon 2020.
ETPs’ vision is to identify the pathway to commercial deployment of research, provide strategic insights into market opportunities and needs, and mobilise and network innovation actors across the EU in order to enable European companies gain a competitive advantage in global markets.

WssTP is an officially recognised ETP under the EC ETP2020 Strategy; a such it endeavors:

To increase members’ coordination and collaboration in water research

To create a strong EU water sector leadership by overcoming fragmentation and providing an answer to increasing competition from outside Europe

To contribute to solving Europe’s water-related societal challenges through strategic planning, lobbying, and coordinated research

WssTP’s activities are aligned with the main rationale of ETPs that is to ensure that EU research has a high impact in leading markets and technology areas with the overall objective of closing the gap with global innovation leaders and boosting jobs and growth in the EU.
Since its launch in 2004, WssTP has succeeded in developing a Water Vision, a Strategic Innovation Research Agenda, and an Implementation Document, complemented by many thematic publications. Based on these three key documents, WssTP has been proactive in identifying the key research activities and gaps to be filled throughout the water cycle as well as involving the European Water sector and its supply chain in this common water vision.
WssTP has 8 year track-record in acting as a catalyst for the formation and launch of EU projects that bring together cross-sector collaborators who in turn will address water-related societal and economic challenges through innovative solutions; among them E4Water, TRUST, Prepared and ChemWater.
WssTP is also actively engaged in communication and advocacy to strengthen the position of water-related research and innovation in European policy.

WssTP as an AISBL under Belgian Law supports its activities through membership fees. Its governance structure is composed of :

The General Assembly

The Board of Directors is the deliberative and decision-making body. It implements the strategy of the platform decided by the General Assembly. The Directors of the Board shall be elected at the General Meeting by each College from a list of candidates in a proportional way in each college of Corporate Members. The Board is responsible for the Strategic Research Agenda, the Vision document and the action plan to implement the vision document set up in the Implementation Document. WssTP set up a new governance structure consisting of 16 Working Groups that have different formats in the sense that some of them are specifically aimed at technology oranother issue while others have a more strategic nature comparable with the current Task Forces. The WssTP WGs are overseen by a Steering Group composed of representatives from the different WGs and are taking over operational tasks of the Board.

The activities of WssTP Working Groupsand collaboration with EU funded projects are instrumental in stimulating communication between the different parties involved in water management across all levels in the European water sector so that research needs and barriers to innovation are identified

Working within a diverse and fragmented environment, the WssTP aims to develop an effective collaboration between the different communities working in the water sector. Currently WssTP is led by industry with collaboration with aca­demia, research organizations and water users whose main goals are to improve efficiency, increase economic growth and increase the competitiveness of the EU water sector. Currently, WssTP is supported by 130 members, 315 contributing organizations across 18 countries and our Work­ing Groups are supported by 700 individual contributors.

WssTP a growing organization!!

WssTP members have access to a variety of beneficial services and tools that are supplied with the aim of both strengthening our members and their roles in the European water sector as well as helping advance WssTP as part of a mutually beneficial relationship.

Specifically for its members WssTP brings together all relevant information on upcoming calls and key developments within the European Commission and the European Parliament regarding water and innovation. Around specific calls WssTP organises info days and workshops in cooperation with the European Commission. Our intranet services allows our members (and invited non-members) to dedicatedly work together on project consortia and specific topics to feed in into the discussions mainly at DG RTD to shape future calls.

With WssTP to be a key partner for the EU for the creation and support of the new water policies which define the course of action for the water sector within the upcoming years, our members are benefited by an exclusive access to a forum of discussion that allows collaboration and innovative development of the water sector.

WssTP works with individual members to ascertain exactly what and how we can offer a truly profitable membership. This tailored approach ensures that WssTP members get as much as possible out of their membership with us.

WssTP represents a key mechanism to further coordinate research, demonstration and pilot projects in the water sector.

College A – Multinational Corporations

Regular fee: 30.000€/year

College B – Research and Technology Developers

Regular fee: 3.000€/year

Reduced fee: 1.050€/year*

*Only members from EU countries whose GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average can apply for the reduced membership fee. In addition the granting of a reduced membership rate is always subject to approval of the Board.

College C – Utilities*

Regular fee: 3.000€/year

Reduced fee: 1.050€/year*

*Only members from EU countries whose GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average can apply for the reduced membership fee. In addition the granting of a reduced membership rate is always subject to approval of the Board.

College D – Suppliers and SME`s**

Regular fee: 3.000€/year

Reduced fee: 1.050€/year*

*Only members from EU countries whose GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average can apply for the reduced membership fee. In addition the granting of a reduced membership rate is always subject to approval of the Board.

** Special fees applying to SME’s. See below.

College E – Large Water Users*

Regular fee: 3.000€/year

Reduced fee: 1.050€/year*

*Only members from EU countries whose GDP per capita is below 75% of the EU average can apply for the reduced membership fee. In addition the granting of a reduced membership rate is always subject to approval of the Board.